FOOD AND CULTURE: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF CULINARY PRACTICES AND SOCIAL MEANING

Abstract

Food is more than sustenance; it is a powerful medium through which cultural identities, social structures, and symbolic meanings are expressed and negotiated. This ethnographic study explores the intricate relationship between food and culture in diverse communities, examining how culinary practices shape social interactions, traditions, and cultural heritage. Through participant observation and interviews, the study highlights how food rituals reinforce group identity, mark life transitions, and reflect broader socioeconomic and political realities. The article contributes to the understanding of food as a cultural text that communicates values, power relations, and histories across time and space.